In-car connected services provider Parkopedia announced on May 15 that it has expanded its partnership with the German luxury carmaker BMW Group to provide its customers with an additional EV point of interest (POI) data, enabling them to make more informed decisions about when and where to charge their EVs.
According to Parkopedia, this new functionality provides EV drivers with photos and ratings for EV charging locations, alongside essential information such as the precise location of the EV charger, the charging speed, connector type and dynamic data including charging availability and whether units are operational or out-of-order.
The company now provides coverage for Spain, Italy, Belgium and Luxembourg, adding to the previous coverage in Germany, France, Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland across Europe.
“The service will shortly be expanded to new markets, addressing global driver demand for an improved EV charging process,” the company said in a statement Wednesday.
According to the company, the additional information helps alleviate potential stress from the charging process for EV drivers by assisting them in selecting locations that best suit their needs.
According to a global EV driver survey that the company had conducted last year, more than 90% of EV drivers feel anxious about charging with 60% considering charging information accuracy as ‘very important’ or ‘extremely important.’
Furthermore, 77% of drivers would prefer to drive a vehicle that provides information about public EV charging and enables them to navigate directly to specific charging locations.
Commenting on the new features, Hans Puvogel, Parkopedia COO, said, “We recognize the charging anxiety facing EV drivers today when searching for suitable charging locations and we are pleased to offer new functionality to simplify the charging process. Today, more than 90% of EV drivers feel anxious about charging, with 44% having run out of charge. Consequently, nearly half of drivers who state they wouldn’t own an EV cite being worried about finding charging away from home as the main reason. This new service with BMW Group demonstrates Parkopedia’s commitment to improving the charging experience for EV drivers and we will shortly combine this with verified driver reviews for charging locations to deliver the highest quality and most up-to-date information possible when deciding where to charge. We are honoured to partner with BMW Group on a service of this scale and accuracy, showing the company’s dedication to its drivers and to an electric future.”
